Brat Style

Custom builders must breathe a sigh of relief when a customer drops off a brand new bike. Sure, old motorcycles are simpler to work on, but with fresh metal there’s no shady past to worry about—and no fear of gremlins lurking under the surface. It’s a great time to be buying modern retros too. Just…

EXCLUSIVE: Every time someone refers to their bike as a ‘brat-style’ build, we let out a groan. There’s only one builder that can lay claim to that moniker: Go Takamine of Brat Style. Go is one of the today’s most influential custom builders—with an aesthetic that’s often emulated, but never matched. Now he’s applied his unmistakeable style…

It’s not often that we get an insight into the minds and work processes of Japan’s custom motorcycle builders. The language barrier is simply too much. So we’re wrapping up our coverage of BMW’s R nineT Custom Project by interviewing the four builders involved. Although they’re at the top of their game—and undoubtedly some of…

For six months, four of Japan’s top custom workshops have been tearing down and rebuilding BMW’s R nineT roadster. The names will be familiar to most readers—Shiro Nakajima, Brat Style, Hidemo and Cherry’s Company—but until now, the R nineT Custom Project bikes have been hidden behind closed doors. The results are being revealed this very…